Shared cognitive processes underlying past and future thinking: The impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on event specificity.

Anderson, Rachel J.; Dewhurst, Stephen A.; Nash, Robert A.

doi:10.1037/a0025451

Cited by 64Memory Processes and InfluencesCognitive Functions and MemoryIdentity, Memory, and Therapy

Shared cognitive processes underlying past and future thinking: The impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on event specificity.

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Anderson, Rachel J., Dewhurst, Stephen A., Nash, Robert A.·2012·Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition

DOI 10.1037/a0025451

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Abstract

Recent literature has argued that whereas remembering the past and imagining the future make use of shared cognitive substrates, simulating future events places heavier demands on executive resources. These propositions were explored in 3 experiments comparing the impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on speed and accuracy of past event retrieval and future event simulation. Results provide support for the suggestion that both past and future episodes can be constructed through 2 mechanisms: a noneffortful "direct" pathway and a controlled, effortful "generative" pathway. However, limited evidence emerged for the suggestion that simulating of future, compared with retrieving past, episodes places heavier demands on executive resources; only under certain conditions did it emerge as a more error prone and lengthier process. The findings are discussed in terms of how retrieval and simulation make use of the same cognitive substrates in subtly different ways.

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Associative strength can explain why past events are constructed more fluently and quickly than imagined events, because remembered events have higher associative strength.
“associative strength can explain findings that past events are constructed more fluently and quickly than imagined events (Anderson, Dewhurst, & Nash, 2012;Wiebels et al., 2019), given that associative strength is higher for remembered events.”
From Mental Time Travel? A Neurocognitive Model of Event Simulation. (2020) · cites this paper as Anderson, Dewhurst, & Nash, 2012

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Self-citation

Authors: Anderson, R. J., Dewhurst, S. A., & Nash, R. A.
Affiliations: University of Hull (GB)
Lancaster University (GB)
ORCID: Anderson, Rachel J.
Dewhurst, Stephen A.
Nash, Robert A.
Venue: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 2012
Volume: 38
Issue: 2
Pages: 356-365
ISSN: 0278-7393 (ISSN-L)
1939-1285
DOI: 10.1037/a0025451
OpenAlex: W2038365908
Cited by: 64
References: 1
Citations by year: 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 4
FWCI: 1.78
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
hull-repository.worktribe.com
Licence: cc-by
Locations: Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Surrey Research Insight Open Access (The University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
Open Research (University of Surrey) (submittedVersion)
Repository@Hull (Worktribe) (University of Hull) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Repository@Hull (Worktribe) (University of Hull) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Economic and Social Research Council (RES-000-22-3624)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Keywords: mental imagery, executive function, episodic memory
MeSH terms: Adolescent, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Cognition, Cues, Female, Humans, Imagination, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Semantics, Students, Thinking, Universities, Vocabulary, Young Adult, Memory, Episodic

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Shared cognitive processes underlying past and future thinking: The impact of imagery and concurrent task demands on event specificity.

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